Ravens hold off Cowboys

Oct 14, 2012 - 10:36 PM
Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Ray Rice finished with 63 yards and a pair
of touchdowns on 16 carries, and the Baltimore Ravens escaped with a 31-29
decision over the Dallas Cowboys in a Week 6 matchup.

Joe Flacco ended 17-of-26 for 234 yards a score for the Ravens (5-1), who have
won four in a row and head to AFC South-leading Houston next Sunday.

Anquan Boldin registered five catches for 98 yards and Torrey Smith added a TD
reception. Jacoby Jones tied an NFL record with a 108-yard kick return in the
third quarter.

"They threw some haymakers at us, but we hung in there long enough," said
Ravens head coach Jim Harbaugh. "And to tie the NFL record for a kickoff
return, in what was the difference in the game, was pretty special."

Tony Romo passed for 261 yards and two touchdowns to Dez Bryant on 25-of-36
efficiency but was intercepted once for the Cowboys (2-3), who came off a bye
to drop their second in a row.

Bryant led all receivers with 13 receptions and totaled 95 yards, but could
not haul in a game-tying two-point conversion pass inside a minute left in
regulation.

DeMarco Murray added 93 yards on 14 carries and Felix Jones crossed the goal
line once while posting 92 yards on 18 totes.

Romo connected with Bryant on a four-yard touchdown with 32 seconds
remaining which pulled the Cowboys within two. However, the conversion pass
near the pylon on the left side of the end zone fell to the turf.

A short squib kick was then recovered by Dallas on its side of midfield, and a
defensive pass interference call pushed the ball to the Baltimore 34. A one-
yard pass to Bryant followed, and Dan Bailey was called on for a 51-yard
attempt, which sailed wide left.

"I thought we played well in all three phases of the game," said Cowboys head
coach Jason Garrett. "The Ravens have been a good team for a lot of years, and
they've been good in here for a while. We gave them everything we had,
everything they could handle. In the end, we have to finish the game."

After a 43-yarder from Bailey on the first series of the third quarter which
pulled the visitors within four, Jones received the ball deep in his own end
zone and raced the length of the field to put Baltimore ahead 24-13.

"You know when you get that itch? I just wanted to scratch it. So I took the
ball, was lucky to get a few blocks, and was home free the rest of the way,"
Jones said of his gamble.

Romo then found Bryant for a 7-yard TD and it was 24-20, and Bailey
connected from 34 yards away to bring Dallas to 24-23 with 8:22 remaining.

The hosts worked almost four minutes off the clock on their next series,
taking a 31-23 edge on a 1-yard run from Rice.

Penalties on both sides marred the early stages of Dallas' next drive of the
fourth. Kyle Ogletree dropped a potential touchdown on 2nd-and-7 from the
Ravens' 29, then a chop block called on the Cowboys pushed the ball 15 yards
back.

Romo hit Bryant for a 17-yard gain on 3rd-and-27 and he stopped the clock by
going out of bounds. Witten added a 16-yard reception on fourth down, and
following a timeout, Witten added a nine-yard grab. Jones then rushed for
three yards on 3rd-and-1 to set up 1st-and-goal and after both sides burned a
timeout, Romo hit Bryant from four yards away.

Dallas countered on its next drive, going 80 yards in eight plays and having a
challenge reverse a call that resulted in Jones being credited with a 22-yard
scoring run.

It was 10-3 early in the second as Bailey was true from 42 yards away, then
Rice evened the score on a 1-yard plunge and a 19-yard connection from
Flacco to Smith in the final minute of the quarter sent the Ravens to the half
up 17-10.

Game Notes

Baltimore has won all four meetings since moving from Cleveland in
1996 ... Dallas racked up 30 first downs and 481 yards of offense to 316 yards
and 19 first downs for the victorious hosts ... Jones matched New England's
Ellis Hobbs and Randall Cobb of the Green Bay Packers for the kick record
...Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb departed the contest late in the first
quarter with a knee sprain. While defending a pass, Webb turned and his
leg twisted awkwardly underneath him. After several minutes on the turf, he
was taken from the field with help, then to the locker room for evaluation
... Harbaugh said Webb may have a torn anterior cruciate ligament ...
Baltimore center Matt Birk played in his 200th career game.